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February 4 – Who Are You?

Who are you? Not “what do you do for a living” or “how do others view you.” For me, this question is tough to answer, because of the many proverbial hats I tend to wear in life.

I am a husband, I am a father, I am a son, I am a brother, I am a witness, I am a friend, I am a citizen, and so on. So to just declare who I am in a single-minded fashion requires some assistance from God. Because he alone truly understands our “who,” His Biblical insight revealed through the likes of John becomes tantamount.

In chapter one of John’s gospel account, John the Baptizer’s response to those who grilled him on his identity (John 1:19-22) is quite interesting. His first statement was a confession of who he was NOT! In essence, knowing who you are is as much about knowing who you are not as it is about anything else.

He was aware, with what he was doing, some would wonder if he was the Christ or some other great figure promised in the ancient writings of Moses and the Prophets. To all their claims, he said “no,” because he knew that God’s purpose for him was to be “the voice of one crying in the wilderness;” and he was to “make straight the way of the LORD (John 1:23).”And everything he did centered on that one thing.

My desire is to know clearly my purpose, my God-given purpose, so well that I don’t deviate toward endeavors that prove counter-productive and confusing. Just because I can do something doesn’t mean God has called me to do that something.

It has to fit His divine designation for my life. And if no one else on the planet knows what that is, I must know it like the back of my hand. Then, when they come calling and clawing to put a label on me and a description on what I do, I can set the record straight!

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” John 1:19-22

Biblical Meditation: 1 Corinthians 2:16 For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.